University towns with most affordable student rents revealed

University towns with most affordable student rents revealed

Students deliberating over which university they should attend must factor in the cost of private rental accommodation as this will have a huge impact on their finances, according to new research.

Students looking to make savings on their education should give top-performing universities such as Leicester, Liverpool and Loughborough serious consideration as value-for-money places to live

The study by flat and house share website SpareRoom.co.uk looked at more than 300,000 rental properties in UK university towns and cities, looking for the most affordable private-sector room rents that included the cost of bills.
When it comes to affordable living, students at Queen’s University in Belfast are best off, enjoying average weekly rents of just £67 per week or £290 per month. SpareRoom.co.uk says the stability of the Belfast rental market is also worth noting, as the city saw no change in average rental charges between 2010 and 2012.
Looking at accommodation costs alone, studying for a three-year degree course at Queen’s Belfast is £13,000 cheaper than at any London university.
The next cheapest university town is St. Andrews in Scotland, where rooms are an average of £77 per week, or £334 per month. Since 2010, room rents in St Andrews have actually fallen by 2.5%. Elsewhere in Scotland, Glasgow University provides a big-city alternative to London for a cheaper £86 per week rent (£373 per month), whilst Edinburgh University is a more expensive £94 per week (£407 per month).
For sub-£80 per week accommodation, SpareRoom.co.uk says students should look at universities in the North, with double rooms (including bills) in Leicester, Liverpool and Loughborough all £78 per week, and Nottingham and Sheffield £79 per week.